As you might expect, Eric Staal isn't happy about being left off Team Canada for the Sochi Olympics.

The Carolina Hurricanes captain, who won gold with Canada at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, told Sportsnet he is "bitter" about being left off the 25-man roster that was announced Tuesday in Toronto.

"To be honest, my gut feeling, yeah I'm bitter about it," Staal said. "Being there last time and knowing what it takes to win a gold and feeling like I was a good contributor to the group and someone that brings it when it counts -- especially the end -- I wanted that opportunity again. But obviously they felt other guys were going better here."

Although Staal has played reasonably well this season -- he has 10 goals and 25 assists in 42 games -- it wasn't good enough for him to make Team Canada.

Patrick Sharp, Chris Kunitz, Patrick Marleau and Matt Duchene were named as the Canadian left wingers, the position Staal played in Vancouver.

Staal is currently out of the Hurricanes lineup with a lower-body injury.